How do you search the Internet? Most use Google, but there are alternatives, especially now that Microsoft has launched Bing. Both search engines have their ups and downs, but that’s fine. Both exist, so if you don’t like one you can use the other. Unless you’re a Verizon BlackBerry user, though. Or, should I say, a certain Verizon BlackBerry user. It’s come to light that some users no longer see Google search options in their Go To screen. Instead, their searches are limited to Bing. This comes as an odd development, especially because it doesn’t apply to everyone. Both James Kendrick (of jkOnTheRun) and I still have normal search options. It appears that others, though, aren’t as lucky any more.
I use the Go To option in the BlackBerry browser constantly (when I’m using the BlackBerry browser at all, that is). It has my bookmarks and most recently viewed pages, so I can jump to pages with ease. It also remembers addresses I’ve entered, so it only takes one or two keystrokes to bring up the page I want. Below the address bar is a spot for Google searches, another feature I use frequently. I’d have to click into the Go To screen to visit Google.com anyway, so the search bar helps greatly — much like the Google search bar in Firefox.
Users on BlackBerry.com forums and VZW’s forums are complaining about the issue. Verizon did announce an exclusive search deal with Bing, but that was for the BlackBerry application, not the Web search feature. That’s one thing, to push users an icon that they can use to install an application. It’s quite another to remove choices where they once existed.
The fear, of course, is that Verizon will push this update to all of their BlackBerry users. Judging by the response to the limited roll-out, that won’t go over well. I don’t use Bing, and I don’t plan to use it just because Verizon wants me to. Hopefully this is just a glitch. Or else a trial run that goes horribly wrong. In any case, please, Verizon, do not force search engines on me. I do a good job of choosing myself.
